


Coming Out

by GarbageFanfics



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Coming Out, Family Bonding, Heartbreak, Internalized Homophobia, Mother-Daughter Relationship, One-Sided Crush, Other, supportive parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:29:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23214067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarbageFanfics/pseuds/GarbageFanfics
Summary: Angella helps her daughter deal with her first heart-break.  Despite, Adora not knowing it, Angella always knew more about her than even Adora knew about herself.Angella's POV
Relationships: Adora & Angella (She-Ra), Adora/Mermista (She-Ra)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 104





	Coming Out

A mother always knows. Words don't need to be exchanged and you know certain things. A mother can always tell these things, even when it feels like it is prying or invading or even downright demanding knowledge from our children, we in secret always know, even when they try to hide it, lie to us, or pretend that nothing is wrong—we will always know. The first signs showed up when she was only 8; her disdain for boy bands did not go unnoticed, her sister would often beg for her to listen to Justin Bieber, Big Time Rush, and One Direction with her. Unhappy, she would always; despite her personal favorite's being more akin to female pop artists; note she would always comment on how pretty they were and how much she wanted to look like them—or How much she wanted them to be her friend in real life. 

Nothing odd about that. _Boys have cooties_ is what we assumed ran through her mind. She played with boys on the playground and several boys made it very clear to our young Adora they _liked—like_ her. But she only just _liked_ them. 

Age 10 came and went so quickly. Now more into sports, she began to idolize female pro-athletes. Asking for a magazine subscription service that offered posters and articles of her favorite surfers, skaters, and soccer players. Soon, she emanated her sister’s room style choice of having favorite people cover her walls. 

Years would go by and both girls grew new assets by thirteen and fourteen and jealousy over each other's looks. Glimmer envied Adora for being so tall and her ability to remain her weight despite her calorie intake. While, Adora envied Glimmer’s smooth olive skin being blemish-free, while my poor baby grew self-conscious of acne. She also started to take notice of how different she looked compared to myself, Glimmer, and Micah. She knew she was adopted, so it wasn’t a secret, she was not going to grow up and look exactly like us, but it was a point of self-consciousness. I saw her eyes curiously dart over to the hair-dye aisle in Target—as I hoped to ask her what she was looking at; she quickly retreated down another aisle and rambled on about something related to shampoo. 

_What? Did Adora just avoid talking to me? What has puberty done to my baby? she has always told me everything. Why was she stopping the communication between us? What did I do? I can understand Glimmer ignoring me or shutting me out. I am typically very critical to Glimmer’s poor actions and lack of enthusiasm in school—Adora would tell me everything. I knew everything and everything about my youngest. She trusts me and loves me, and now...This? Shut me out? Why?_

I figured out what was the real issue through snooping and eavesdropping. Yes, I do know how wrong that is, but my autistic daughter was going through a depressed state and I needed something to help me.

The reason for her moodiness...... She didn’t like how different she looked, compared to the rest of us. She felt her blonde hair and blue eyes made her stick out...

_As trivial and odd as this was, I had to be understanding. I’m from England! I would have killed to have blonde hair and blue eyes!_

So, to show solidarity to I dyed my hair to have blonde highlights. Admittedly, I thought it looked terrible. So did my husband, but Adora liked it because we _matched_ a little. I thought this was a fantastic breakthrough. She started to talk to me more about her stress with school. Adora persisted in taking High school math classes in eighth grade. It was due to her wanted to distance herself from her autism. It made her push herself to this level of work. Due to her ever-growing frustration, she admitted she needed to let out steam. 

With that information, I offered to buy her a soccer net to practice her kicking and a punching bag to have in the basement laundry room. It gave her the ability to physically let out her anger and frustration and with that—I had my girl back. No secrets, and no lies. I had nothing to worry about. Glimmer was an even easier target to handle with her lack of honesty. 

I discovered through conversation with her English teacher that; Glimmer liked to wear make-up to school. She would apply it in the bathroom mirror with other girls in the morning and wash it off before school ended. _So that’s were my eyeliner went_. To resolve that I chose to be coy and place a picture of her father; shirtless from our trip to Palm Beach with him blowing a kiss and a note saying “Have a good day at work, baby, love, your hunky hubby”

After placing that in my make-up vanity drawer, I have yet to hear anything about my fourteen-year-old toting around make-up. 

It wasn’t long until more of the dreaded puberty hit: typical girl preteen talks started, such as who's your crush on? who would you date in your class? and which member of whatever band it was that week did you think was the cutest?

Adora took no joy in this. She still was in her tomboy phase. Although she dressed girly and liked some girly things, she still grew no interest in boys, yet. I was figuring out why. I could see by the way her face would light up when Glimmer’s friends came over, or when we had a cute, young teenage babysitter named Netossa to come over and look after them after school a few years ago. I knew what the real reason was. 

Adora probably didn’t, her responses to questions like those would always be along the lines of:

_I have no crush_

_I don't like so and so_

_I don't like anyone from that band_

much to her friends' dishearten reactions, she wouldn't budge on her thoughts.

She is finally getting older, and then the hard thoughts were starting to come to her. I could tell she had questions and she had doubts, but she refused to tell me. maybe it was a shame? or fear? or maybe her sister gave her bad advice? whatever it was, it created the distance that led us here.

Adora was a freshman in high school. Fourteen and gorgeous. Just as popular as Glimmer was the year before, and possibly more, due to her better grades. Boys from the football team took notice of her and commented on how much they would like to date her. Micah only discovered this, because his friend was the coach of the team and he told him that Adora has been breaking hearts all year long by telling boys that her parents were super strict and religious, and she can’t date without their approval. 

As far as lying goes—this was a splendid lie! I would rather her not date any of those punks, but it eventually got back to Glimmer’s inner circle of friends and boys just assumed Glimmer can’t date either and that lead to rejection from boys who Glimmer asked out because they “Don’t want to meet her crazy strict parents”

Micah and I should have stepped in on the matter. By mistake we let it fester and that lead to Glimmer dating boys in secret. 

The next year when Glimmer was a Junior and Adora was a Sophomore we received a phone call at midnight while we were out of town by our neighbor; who was a cop and good friend to us, that a party was going on in our house!

We decided the best course of action to team them a lesson was to have our police officer friends come to the house and break up the party. terrifying Glimmer in the process. Glimmer was grounded. Since Adora knew and didn’t say anything we had to ground her too, her punishment was lighter. Both punishments were light. _Seriously! Why is housework treated like such damnation by teenagers?_

Also, we took away their phones and laptops for the weekend. 

I wasn’t so happy to find out Glimmer’s password to her computer is “Mom complains a lot"

Adora’s was something easier to stomach “TwlightSparkle2000” _Never change, my precious girl._

I changed Glimmer’s password to “Ungrateful” and her background image to her standing next to me when she was five and her holding up a paper saying “I love mommy” in finger paint. 

For Adora’s laptop I wanted to just change the background image to something silly as well; like maybe a horse with a caption saying “Horses don’t keep secrets” or something along the lines of that. the second I opened her pictures file to see if she had saved any photos of horses in it like she used to—my ears were left burning at what I was viewing. Adora had a folder of nothing but female models. Clothed. Barely anything on it some photos. Her room was filled with girls on her walls. She must be getting those “urges” right about now. She was sixteen now. It all made sense. 

I chose to not go through with my plans for her and her sister’s laptops and changed Glimmer’s password back to “Mom complains a lot”

Everything seemed to be going well after the weekend of partying. 

Glimmer was famous for throwing the best party of the year, no friend except Mermista and Perfuma offered to help clean; which only proves to me who her real friends are—and Adora seems to be taking a bit of a sweet for someone in Glimmer’s inner circle. 

Mermista Marie Anderson. Snarky and quick-witted like her mother, who is also one of my good friends. Adora and she have always been close. Mermista was always kind and protective of Adora—since her little brother was also on the spectrum—she had always taken a shine to Adora. That and Adora always compliments her and agrees with whatever Mermista says. It was the start of a crush. An obvious one at that, as she would open to me on how she was happy Mermista broke up with a boy from the drama club. 

It was adorable to listen to, Glimmer had the same spark when she used to talk about Bow or Branden, or Stevie (All her former crushes)

\--

Glimmer’s senior year went by fast. It was bittersweet for us. All four of cried when Glimmer told us she was going to college out of state. Granted, it was a three-hour drive, but our biggest baby wasn’t going to be home anymore. Adora took it the worst. She was going to miss her big sis. Glimmer had been out of the house more, due to college preparations and dorm life. Perfuma decided to take the year off to _discover_ herself and Mermista decided to go to University within the State. So, her and Adora got closer and closer and that’s when I figured something was going to go wrong.

And It did go wrong.

I received a text message from Glimmer on Saturday night while I was out having a date with Micah. A worrying message came through saying.

**Adora is upset. I’m not there, so if your home can you check on her? I won't be home until tomorrow.**

Worried. I made sure to head home quickly with my husband. When I arrived home, I went upstairs to hear the muffled sobbing coming from Adora’s room.

Oh, no...

I opened the door and called to her. “Adora?” I walked in to see her laying on her bed. Refusing to look up to me as she cried into her pillow. her posters were down off all her athletic idols. I sat on her bed and rubbed her back “Sweetie, what's wrong? What happened?”

She lifted her head from her pillow and turned her body over to face me. her eyes were red and so was her face. She had been crying for at least over an hour. she sniffled as she croaked out “I don’t want to talk about it right now, mom” she coughed and rubbed her eyes. I cupped her face “Baby, please tell me what happened?”

She shook her head “I can’t. It’s humiliating”

She moved my hand away and returned her face to her pillow. She started to cry again. I didn’t want to leave her like this. Adora was always my most sensitive child. I touched her head “Love, please tell me what happened”

_What could have happened? It’s the end of the school year, so, was she bullied, was there a hazing incident? Did she get a bad grade and upset over that? what was it?_

“No” she muffled. She wasn’t going to tell me right now

I looked over to the door to see Micah signaling me to leave her alone. 

I frowned at this but took my leave.

I kissed her on the top of the head and told her “Please come talk to me when you're ready”

Leaving her to her sorrow. I whispered to Micah down the hall “Do you know anything?”

He shrugged “No, Glimmer isn’t telling me” as soon as he and I entered our bedroom, he turned to me and asked, “Do you think it’s a boy?”

I raised a brow “As a boy upset her? Doubt it, Adora.....,” I trailed off. I never told Micah I assumed Adora was gay “Adora may not be one for traditional, uh, um....,” I didn’t know how to say. To tell him I thought my youngest was gay was a big overstep in my boundaries and Micah was not one for my assumptions. He knows me far to well to know when I assume things, I get a certain type of way and he doesn’t like it.

He started to take off his jacket as he turned away from me “Oh, I know she’s gay Angie, I figured that out a year ago”

I blinked and shook my head “Wait? You know?”

He turned to me “Has she come out to you?”

“No! How did you know?”

He shrugged as he bent over to take his pants off “She stole on of my Playboys”

“What!” I cried. _I thought I told him to get rid of those!_

“Kidding. I see how she looks at women. She acts the same way Casta did at that age before Casta came out”

\--

The next morning came and Adora was still in her room. She had taken an early shower but refused to leave her room. She must be starving; I know my girl can eat two bowls of cereal and still be hungry for toast. 

I brought up some pancakes for her. “Adora?” I called to her. She was at her desk. Eyes focused computer. She didn’t seem all that happy still. I placed her breakfast down next to her and asked, “Want to talk yet?”

She shook her head “Not yet mom, sorry” she looked up to me with a modicum of shame. She wanted to tell me what she was feeling, and she wanted me to know what was wrong, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. I frowned and allowed her to avoid the subject some more. 

Glimmer came home and she had Mermista with her. Thank God! Familiar faces that could make my baby smile again.

“I’m happy you two are here, maybe you two can help Adora, she’s been in such a poor mood since last night”

I saw in the corner of my eye Mermista shifting a little in discomfort. Glimmer signed and asked, “Adora didn’t tell you what happened?”

I shook my head “No, but please If you know, tell me”

Glimmer looked over to Mermista again and the two gave each other a nod of agreement before Glimmer turned to tell me “She told someone she liked them and they told her they didn’t like her back” Glimmer looked saddened as she turned back to Mermista; who in return told me “We want to talk to her and cheer her up”

I smiled at what a good friend she was to come over and talk to her. 

The two went upstairs to talk to her. I paused for a moment downstairs. Once I heard the bedroom door close, I decided to sneak over to the stairway and see if I could listen. I slowly made crept up a few steps. I jumped the second I felt someone swat my bottom. I turned to see my husband giving me a disapproving glare. _How long has he been standing there?_

I gave a sheepish smile as he took my hand and escorted me to the living room. Forcing me to watch TV with him as I pondered over what was going on without my knowledge. 

In 20-minutes, all three girls descended from downstairs. Adora received a hug from both Mermista and Glimmer before the two girls left. Adora’s eye met with mine for a moment. She could tell I wanted to talk to her. Those blue-grey eyes looked away from mine slowly as she went back upstairs. 

Is that a signal to talk to her?

I jumped up, only to have my hand caught by my disapproving husband. Mouthing to me _give her space._

I removed my hand from his and mouthed to him that I was sorry before rushing upstairs. I knocked on her door and opened with her giving a chance to respond “Adora, honey? Are you okay?”

She gave that look again. The sad, defeated look, whatever the two had talked to her about didn’t make her feel better. 

She bit her lip as it trembled and ran into my arms. she started to cry again—like she did last night—except this time, she allowed me to comfort her. I embraced her and let her cry in my arms until she calmed herself as she moved away to her bed. I sat next to her as she tried to catch her breath. I kept my hand on her shoulder as she tried to calm down. 

She mustered at the words “I, I – told someone I liked them... They said they only see me as a friend. Which wasn’t fair... Because I thought after everything that had happened that, they would like me more than that”

I was confused but I nodded in agreement. She sniffled a little more as she continued “She - uh, I mean They -- said, it doesn’t change anything now that I said it, we’re still good friends, but I don’t think I can just pretend I didn’t say it. How can I just act as nothing happened? Senior year for me is in just two months and I must act like, I didn't just make an idiot out of myself in front of her—Uh—I mean they. All their friends are my friends... I need to make new friends and pretend it never happened”

I held her and asked, “When they said no, where they mean to you about it?”

Adora kept her eyes down as she replied “They laughed. They said they thought I was joking”

My heart ached at the idea of Adora spilling her feelings out to someone, just for them to laugh at her. She must have been so crushed at the moment. 

Adora’s expressional pained a bit as she recalled “I was just standing there like an idiot, after telling them I liked them, and all they said was they always knew, but they didn’t want to say anything” Adora started to cry a little again as she sobbed out “It was obvious to everyone but me that I liked them... I was so embarrassed I just ran away from them—” she looked at me as she explained “What else was I supposed to do”

I cupped her face to wipe the tears from her eyes “It’s hard sweetie, I know, young love will hurt”

Adora added in “I thought they liked me back”

I nodded “It will always feel like that, won’t it”

Adora bit her lip a little, indicating to me she was embarrassed to tell me something. It took all my will power to not press it. I held her close as she calmed down. My poor baby's first heartbreak. I wish I could make all the pain go away, but I can’t. 

I know Adora isn’t telling me the whole story. 

I waited for Glimmer to get home to calmly ask her what she knew.

By Calmly I might be exaggerating. 

“Tell me what you know!” I shouted as Glimmer jiggled the door handle to the walk-in pantry. 

“Seriously! You told me to get paper towels and now you’ve locked me in here!?” she yelled from the other side of the door.

I locked her in the pantry. So, she couldn’t blow me off.

“Mom!” she yelled from the pantry “This isn’t funny! You're not the funny parent, remember? Dad is”

I grinned as I looked over to my husband. He was giving me a worried look. unsure of what I would do next. 

I answered to Glimmer “No, I’m the terrifying parent, that gets what she wants, now tell me!”

“It’s none of your business!”

“Fine then, have it your way!” I said turning off the light to the pantry. I heard her yelp.

“Mom! Turn the lights back on! You know I hate dark! Mom! Mom! AAHHH!” she banged on the door.

I turned to my husband with my arms crossed. He gave me an unhappy look at my determination to get to the truth.

Glimmer finally yelled “Fine! I’ll tell you!” 

“Good” I answered.

She stopped kicking the door and I opened it, she pulled me into my surprise and in a hushed tone explained “She told Mermista she’s had a crush on her since the party last year when they kissed, Mermista thought she was kidding and laughed. When she realized Adora was serious she tried to say sorry and she knew Adora was gay and it never bothered her. Adora got so freaked she just ran off” Glimmer stood in silence after she explained it. I had my mouth covered as I thought. _That tramp! How dare Mermista play with my daughters' emotions!_

I blinked as I asked “Wait, they kissed, didn’t they? Why would she kiss her if she didn’t like her?”

Glimmer mumbled “It was a drunken kiss”

I gasped as I grabbed a bag of Oreos “Alcohol was in my home while I was away for one night!?”

Glimmer shielded herself and defended “The college boys brought it! I didn’t drink any!”

“C--college? College boys!?” I threw the Oreos at her and then turned to throw a roll of paper towels “Alcohol! College boys! Glimmer how could you!”

I threw a roll of toilet paper at her as she made her past me and ran out of the pantry. Locking me inside. Micah took his time opening the door. He took his time to lecture me on leaving it alone and how my prying with make Adora uncomfortable and how I shouldn’t use his Oreos as a projectile weapon.

\--

Senior year was close to starting for Adora and she had been in better spirits. I still never got her to tell me the truth yet about the whole heartbreak situation, nor has she ever found it convenient enough to tell me about her sexuality. All the family blogs and articles on gay children said to leave it alone until she is ready to talk. Regardless of wanting to know now, I chose to wait. Not willingly, but I had to. 

Sitting on the couch waiting for some cute teen movie called _Love, Simon_ I was graced with the presence of my younger daughter as she sat down next to me to watch it. Turns out it was a gay love story. Two boys emailing each other and finding love in the end. Not realistic, but it was cute enough for me and Adora to watch together. 

Adora turned to me and asked. “How would you react if someone told you they were gay?”

I was taken back a bit by that question. Was this how she was going to tell me?

I paused for a moment and looked up at the ceiling. I kept my voice calm as I answered “Oh, I am not someone to judge such a relation. If it was a close friend or family member trusting me with that information, I would be grateful that they could tell me, “I looked to her to see what her reaction was. Her eyes had an innocent look of hoping I would say all the right words, all the right words to make her feel better. “I would support them in any way I can if they let me”

She nervously moved closer to me. In the same shy manner when she did when she was younger. She nervously allowed her head to fall into my lap and I began to stroke her hair. She was sad now. This topic upsets her, even when I feel I’ve said all the right words, she’s still upset. 

She asked me “Would you make a big deal about it? If someone you knew was?”

I felt some sort of guilt in my stomach. Was she referring to how I went above and beyond when I found out she was autistic? I went through so many lengths to sensory proof and get her special toys when she was young, and it ended up giving her PTSD. Is this why she can’t just tell me?

_A felt like I was talking in circles. I just said all of that! I haven’t added anything else to put her mind at ease! What else can I say—?_

“In the movie, Simon’s dad didn’t take his coming out seriously. Would you and dad just brush it off or go nuts, like in one of those YouTube videos?”

I froze a little. Was she implying she was scared to tell us? Micah was the fun parent. Maybe she feared he would laugh at her? Maybe she thinks I’m the one who would freak out. I stroked her cheek as she laid motionless, head still on my lap. I sighed. I felt selfish, Adora’s feelings were still hurt from the Mermista incident, but my feelings were hurt too by the fact my daughter can’t talk to me. I told her “If you are Glimmer came to us? As I said, I would be supportive. I would have nothing but love for you two no matter”

She seemed a little more deflated than before. I still wasn’t saying the right words.

I nudged her a little to get her to lift her head “Hey, tell me what wrong” I asked softly. I want her to feel safe. She finally turned her head to face me. She still resting it on my lap, but now she was rested on her back. Her lip trembled a bit as she spoke “I know Glimmer told you some stuff, I was hoping she would just tell you all of it” her eyes started to water. She turned her face away as wiped a tear away from her eye “I told Mermista I liked—liked her. I knew it was a dumb thing to do, but I thought if I said it, she might like me back” her lips quivered more as the tears started to fall onto her cheeks “I said it without thinking. I thought if I came home with a girlfriend, things would be easier. It wouldn’t be as awkward or embarrassing to tell anyone—” she choked out a sob as she covered her eyes with her forearm “It’s worse now! It’s more awkward and embarrassing now! It was better when I didn’t say anything!” she cried “I can’t look at her or my other friends the same way now. What if it gets out that I tried to ask out my sister’s friend? All my friends keep asking me to hang out but I’m too scared too! If I make the same mistakes with them too!”

She cried. I let her cry for a moment. 

I lifted her forearm away from her eyes. Now puffy from sobbing. She sat up and turned away from me “She said she knew—As if I made it obvious? Did you know? I don’t know how to feel now. What if everyone knows? What if I go into the senior year without Glimmer and my old friends and people stop liking me if they think I’m acting too gay?”

I felt so bad for her. 

My poor girl is devasted. 

Overthinking every little thing now.

What can I do?

I sat up from the couch and took her hand to get up with me “Come on sweetheart”

I walked her over to the kitchen to get ice cream from the freezer. She didn’t protest, but she didn’t seem enthused either. 

I looked to her with a smile “I can’t make this pain go away sweetheart, but, as I said before I will help and be as supportive as I can be”

As I started to scoop her favorite ice cream into a bowl. 

She smiled at me as I placed it in front of her. 

It wasn’t helping much, but she knows I’m trying.

I sat across from her with a bowl of ice cream for myself and offered “Senior year is a lot of work; the college preparations will be the most exciting part” I said as she started to eat. “You will get to see campuses and meet a lot of nice people” I paused as I saw a slight smile grow on her face. I grinned as I stated, “Lots of pretty girls will be on campus,” I waited to see her response. She just rolled her eyes, paying no mind to it. I then teased “Medical students are really attractive—” I smiled and waited for her to look up at me. I beamed as I finished “Your father got lucky when he met me when I was in Grad school, your such a cute girl, lesbians will be lining up from every medical practice to date you! if you go to a diverse enough college, I might get a doctor or lawyer for daughter-in-law”

Adora chocked a bit as I said that. She looked up from her bowl, slightly embarrassed, but also shocked. 

I grinned “Just no art or social science students as girlfriends—terrible job prospects” I winked. 

She looked away with an embarrassed smile. Adora’s face went red as she pushed her bowl away. “Mom! Really?!” she said as she matched upstairs with embarrassment. I followed her and threw in “I’ll settle for an engineer or accountant as a daughter-in-law too! Just make them send a resume over before they can date you!”

I saw the faint smile on her face as she turned to head upstairs. I got her smiling again. Despite her still being sad, I got her to smile again. Hopefully, I can keep it this way forever, hopefully, when she starts dating, I won’t need to worry as much. Right now, I’m just happy my girl is okay. 

_My precious Adora._


End file.
